Zagreb, (IKA) – The central event in the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was the celebration of a Solemn Mass on Sunday, September 21, in front of the Zagreb cathedral, concelebrated by the secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, together with the apostolic nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari; the archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić; the president of the Croatian Conference of Bishops and the archbishop of Đakovo-Osijek, Marin Srakić; the Croatian bishops and over two hundred and fifty priests. The square where the Mass was celebrated was decorated with several symbols referring to the rich heritage of the many centuries of the Zagreb Church. In front of the portal of the cathedral was placed a simple pilgrim’s cross that Archbishop Stepinac carried on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1937. Over the altar was a prominent picture of Christ in Glory, a copy of a fresco from the ancient Chapel of St. Stephen, the First Martyr, which was built by the Zagreb bishop Stjepan II and today is located within the Archdiocesan Palace, to the south of the cathedral. During the celebration of the Eucharist, the chalice was used that Cardinal Stepinac employed during his incarceration in Krašić.

At the beginning of the Mass, Cardinal Bozanić welcomed Cardinal Bertone, noting that this celebration is not only a commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the beatification but also one more echo of the affection that the Croatian faithful have for their Blessed pastor. “We have been assembled here by the same faith which gave the Blessed Alojzije the strength not to grow weary, even when many in Europe and the world grew weary, when they forgot their calling in the ideological darkness of inhumanity and when they failed to see their neighbor who needed their love. Our beatus kept the faith,” said Cardinal Bozanić. “And while individuals in Croatia and the world – still blinded by the same ideologies that condemned millions of people to suffering and death – endeavored to keep the luminous page of the life of Cardinal Stepinac as closed as possible, so that the truth about him would not lead to their admission of the errors of their own lives, these people want to say clearly that for them our Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac is a genuine reflection of holiness, to whom this faithful nation addresses countless prayers every day,” emphasized Cardinal Bozanić. He thanked Cardinal Bertone “for confidence and strength at a time when some wanted the Church to continue to remain silent,” and asked him to convey greetings to Pope Benedict XVI, expressing the hope “that we shall soon be able to greet him in our Homeland. Convey to him our devotion, sincere prayer for him and his service to the Church. Convey to him our fervent wish … for the Blessed Alojzije to be included among the saints of the Catholic Church as soon as possible,” said Cardinal Bozanić.

In the homily, Cardinal Bertone recalled the unforgettable historical day of October 3, 1998, when, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Bistrica, the Servant of God John Paul II proclaimed the beatification of Cardinal Stepinac. Cardinal Bertone then spoke about the similarities that can be noted between St. Paul and the Blessed Stepinac, providing a useful lesson for Christian life. Cardinal Stepinac expressed the same boundless devotion to the Lord in the well-known words: “‘Our ideals can be summarized in one word: God.'” Both were initiators of fervent communities but they had to endure unjust sentences in consequence of rigged trials. Both of them were acquainted with the rigors of prison and house arrest, enduring everything with patience steadfastness, consistently behaving in a manner “worthy of the gospel.” While their persecutors were actually the slaves of false and violent ideologies, they, although seemingly deprived of their freedom, they remained free within themselves, encouraging and leading their friends, serenely giving their brothers in faith the strength to forgive and pray for enemies and for those who tormented them.

“During the difficult years under the communist regime, it was not easy to resist the repeated and persistent trials and temptations of the dictatorial authorities who offered all sorts of privileges in exchange for betrayal. However, Stepinac and the Church in Croatia remained faithful to Christ and the Pope, the bishop of Rome, following the example of your ancestors who were the first of the Slavic nations to accept the proclamation of the gospel wholeheartedly. It is precisely for that reason that you Croats were called ‘Scutum saldissimum et antemurale Christianitatis’ (the firm shield and bulwark of Christianity) by Pope Leo X in 1514,” noted Cardinal Bertone. “The errors of fascist and communist ideologies, which in the previous century caused such suffering, fortunately seem to have nearly ended but there is no lack of difficulties and challenges in the new contemporary sociopolitical and cultural circumstances which Christians must confront. Therefore, today formation for heroic holiness is required, especially among new generations. New evangelization is essential, which is not new in terms of its basic content but in terms of the forms of catechesis and missionary activity,” said the cardinal. Among the modern idols in western capitalistic societies, he particularly cautioned against greed.

Cardinal Bertone urged the Croatian faithful to be wise and conscientious interpreters of their Christian traditions, which made the Croatian nation a Catholic nation, and urged the Church in Croatia to imitate the Blessed Stepinac, a heroic witness of Christ.
During the presentation of the gifts, a gift from the Zagreb Archdiocese was presented that was intended for the poor and needy under the care of the Missionaries of Charity, the sisters of the Blessed Mother Teresa. The gifts were presented by representatives of the parish of the Zagreb Archdiocese which bears the name of the Blessed Stepinac. At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Bozanić expressed his gratitude and then presented Cardinal Bertone with a statute of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, a gift from the Zagreb Archdiocese. Cardinal Bertone presented a chalice and paten with the pontifical coat-of-arms, a gift from Pope Benedict XVI, for the Zagreb cathedral.

Among the numerous faithful who assembled for the celebration of the Mass were the representative of the prime minister, the minister of family affairs, war veterans and integrational solidarity, Jadranka Kosor; and the mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandić.